By Linda Rouse O’Neill, Vice President, Government Affairs
Linda Rouse O’Neill
The Ebola outbreak served as a big wake-up call for the entire healthcare sector. The continued spread of Zika has amplified this concern within our industry, leading HIDA and our members to take an active role in a variety of discussions with policy implications.
Over the summer, HIDA members discussed pandemic preparedness issues with congressional and federal agency leaders during our Washington Summit. Reps. Susan Brooks (R-IN) and Anna Eshoo (D-CA) also hosted two expert HIDA member panels to discuss how trading partners can learn from past pandemics and prevent future inventory disruptions. Participants in all of these meetings shared their individual business experiences and noted several factors that could affect the national supply chain. Challenges identified during these meetings included:
- A lack of transparency and coordination
- Demand for medical products from the public
- Demand for non-traditional products (such as HAZMAT suits)
- Difficulties accessing non-medical supplies during a crisis
HIDA drives best practices dialogue for distributors
Despite these challenges, collaboration between government and industry is improving. HIDA has played a key role in this by meeting with federal agencies and helping our leaders leverage distributors’ expertise. Following these meetings, HIDA partnered with Owens & Minor at the AHRMM16 conference in San Diego to present at the session titled “Pandemic Preparedness: Industry Efforts To Build Elasticity into the Supply Chain.” The presentation highlighted key steps for further improving collaboration between suppliers and government agencies. These include:
Continuing to increase transparency and communication. Distributors have a unique insight into their customers’ needs and buying habits. This experience can be used to advise federal leaders on how medical supplies can be most efficiently deployed during a crisis. Effectively leveraging distributors’ experience, however, requires clear direction from federal agencies on what goods are needed and available for each pandemic response.
Using distributors’ experience to strengthen existing disaster-response models. During the Ebola epidemic, federal agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention developed response plans that relied on hospital tiering, or prioritizing certain facilities to care for patients by centralizing products and services. Distributors can help with disaster preparations by developing projections for stockpile quantities under emergency circumstances and making pre-deployment suggestions. Additionally, they could develop an allocation methodology that can serve government requests. For example, an agency could inform distributors which facilities would handle the most patients during a crisis and distributors could make recommendations on how to ensure the facility has the materials it needs.
Bringing together business and healthcare leaders to improve supply chain elasticity. Federal agencies will need to help improve national supply chain elasticity. Part of this effort involves working with providers on what resources they will need to mount an effective response to a potential outbreak. Additionally, providers, distributors, and federal agencies will need to work together to develop plans to allocate non-medical products such as gloves and other protective gear.
Distributors and Disaster Preparedness: The Big Picture
The most important lesson from the recent briefings and meetings with government agencies is that distributors have knowledge and expertise that can strengthen any national pandemic response. By continuing to discuss these matters with your customers and sharing your insights, you can become a vital resource during a crisis.
HIDA is continuing to monitor preparedness efforts ahead of the next legislative reauthorization Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act. Feel free to contact us at HIDAGovAffairs@HIDA.org to learn more and to see how you or your customers can help.